Spring Break in the Hamptons Arrives with the Promise of Camp

We’ve endured snow, cold, wind, more snow, freezing rain and yet more snow. You and your family have shoveled, dodged potholes and walked the dog in winds high enough to scare Dorothy and Toto. You deserve a break, and so do your kids, regardless of what horrors the weather can throw at us.

Even with all those spectacular winter storms and subsequent snow days, spring break has emerged relatively unscathed. Most kids in the area still have four full days off, to recoup from state-wide tests and other school-related stress. East End moms know just where to look for spring break camps that will make the most of your kid’s mini staycation, and maybe leave you some free time to meet up with your book group.

One option is taking your little athlete over to Future Stars Southampton. Two huge inflatable bubbles bloom over the eight outdoor tennis courts for weatherproof fun. One dome is dedicated to indoor tennis, the other is primed for soccer, lacrosse, baseball, football and field hockey. With the option to sign up for half or full days, you can configure your kids’ spring break to leave enough family time to take in the Muppet movie. For the high energy kid with the personality of a Jack Russell terrier, Future Stars is a great option to keep your kids active and happy and to sharpen their skills for the warmer weather.

For some kids, it’s just not camp unless there’s an art project involved. The Parrish Art Museum has its Open Studio for families as well as a Spring Break camp. You can kick off your spring break activities with the Parrish’s Open Studio program on Saturday, April 12. It’s free with admission. After a tour exploring the galleries with a docent, your family can create their own artistic marvels in the Studio. If you turn green with envy when your kids break out the finger paints, the Open Studio will satisfy your artistic cravings, and you’ll still get brownie points for a cool family activity.

The Parrish Museum’s mini-camp runs programs for two age groups. Kids 4–6 get the early shift from 10 a.m. to noon. The afternoon, from 1–3 p.m., is for kids 7 and up. Each day will focus on a different theme, including spring impressionistic painting, cityscapes, spring sculptures, portraits and painting local scenes. Camp runs from Monday April 14 through Friday April 18. You can register online and go for the whole week or pick and choose at $40 a session, $30 for museum members.

Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor. Photo credit: Oliver Peterson

It wouldn’t be the Hamptons without something for the drama queens (and kings) in your family. Bay Street Theatre’s Spring Vacation Theatre Camp is a good fit for kids 8–12. This year, because of the slightly shorter spring break, camp is four days, April 15 through April 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “We’ll just have to squeeze more in,” Karen Hochstedler, who runs the Bay Street program with Bethany Dellapolla says. The camp culminates with kids creating their own original production, which debuts at the end of the week. “The parents are very enthusiastic and impressed,” Hochstedler comments. Her method is to take something the kids know, like the concept of friendship, and build a little narrative around their own personal stories. Dellapolla and Hochstedler guide the budding stars through improv exercises and theater games, as well as instructing them in all aspects of performance. “You don’t have to be a performer to get something out of the program,” Hohstedler remarks. “The kids learn to listen to each other. They learn how to be more comfortable with who they are.”

With so many choices, all of them indoor, you can disregard what Mother Nature chooses to throw at us and enjoy spring break in style.